Maccaferri

Maccaferri

Founded in May 1879 by Raffaele Maccaferri, Maccaferri was established for the production of wrought iron items. However, in 1893, having invented the now world famous Gabion, Maccaferri dramatically changed the civil engineering landscape. Still changing it today with almost 140 years of history behind them, they work every day to find better solutions for their clients at every degree of latitude and longitude. As a company they make innovation happen around the world, share their knowledge capital to multiply the return on investment of clients and partners and offer ongoing support to establish relationships built on solid trust.

Today they are a global company with 70 subsidiaries operating worldwide, with an on-site presence in more than 100 countries with 3,000 employees who are highly-specialised professionals in designing and developing complex solutions. The company’s worldwide network grows through innovation and the diversification of its sectors of activity through an increasing range of high quality and environmentally-friendly products and applications.

Whether building a new railway asset or maintaining an existing one Maccaferri can help clients, designers and contractors achieve their goals. They are a leading international provider delivering advanced engineered solutions to the civil, geotechnical and environmental construction markets that are innovative, advance and environmentally friendly. They offer solutions from retaining walls to hydraulic works and from rock fall mitigation systems to soil reinforcement. Selecting from a broad range of solutions, they endeavour to “engineer the best solution” including natural hazard and rock fall mitigation systems, safety and noise barriers, retaining walls and soil reinforcement solutions.

Paolo Ramadori, Chief Executive Officer said: “At Maccaferri we do not simply sell products: we provide the best solutions – identifying, addressing and responding to the specific needs of each client. Maccaferri is a partner who works alongside clients from the start of the project, maximising value for money through technical expertise and an extensive portfolio of all quality products.

“Our innovative products are developed at the MIC (Maccaferri Innovation Centre), a centre of excellence dedicated to research and development. Our advanced solutions start from the design of the project, with the simple aim of solving a problem. Maccaferri’s solutions are better also because we design and develop them with an eye on quality of life and on preserving the environment and our communities for future generations. These same principles of respect and integrity are mirrored within our organisational structure.”

Maccaferri has been involved in a number of projects related to the railway sector for both urban and extra urban works all over the world. They support their clients to deliver rail infrastructure assets that show higher resilience, have superior performance, cost less to build and integrate with nature.

The company was recently involved with the Ceneri Base Tunnel project which is a railway base tunnel under construction in Switzerland’s Canton Ticino. It passes under Monte Ceneri between Camorino and Magadino Flat and Vezia near Lugano and will bypass the current high-level rail route through the Monte Ceneri Tunnel. The project comprises of two single-track tunnels, each 15.4km long and is another part of the New Railway Link through the Alps project. The tunnels are now being equipped and rail service is expected to start in December 2020.

The project has seen Maccaferri supply the material for a 42 m high reinforced soil structure made by Green Terramesh units and Paragrid geogrids. The construction of the 15.4 km long dual tube railway tunnel under the Monte Ceneri southern Switzerland resulted in several million cubic metres of excavated materials that had to be stockpiled close to the main construction site of the portal. Maccaferri’s solution was chosen as the most suitable solution because it allowed the re-use of the inert materials excavated from the Ceneri Tunnel and maximised the speed of excavation work.

Ramadori added: “It has been a challenge to be involved in the development of a solution that had to be structurally effective and easy to install. Our products are engineered to become solutions that meet client’s needs. We are a partner for our clients and this is something we really pride ourselves in.”